Star Trek Vegas Con 2012 & TrekMovie.com Panels preview

TrekMovie is back from vacation and ready to head to Las Vegas this week for the big Star Trek con. This year’s even will be huge with four captains and tons of Star Trek luminaries headed to the biggest Trek event of the year. A number of TrekMovie.com contributors are also on the way and there will be a series of TrekMovie.com panels along with contributors from TrekMovie on other panels. More details below.

VEGAS 2012: 4 CAPTAINS + CAST REUNIONS + MORE

William Shatner, Kate Mulgrew, Scott Bakula and Avery Brooks are just the tip of the iceberg of big time celebrities headed to the Rio Suites hotel for the annual Star Trek con which kicks off this Thursday. The four of the captains have their own stage events and they will all appear on stage together on Sunday. The weekend-long event will also feature most of the other main stars from the Star Trek TV series, also appearing on stage (and available for autographs and photos). Much of the Next Generation cast is there, including Jonathan Frakes, Brent Spiner, Marina Sirtis, Michael Dorn, LeVar Burton, Gates McFaddewn, Diana Muldar (and John deLancie too). The Voyager cast on hand are Roxann Dawson, Robert Beltran, Robert Picardo, Tim Russ, and Ethan Phillips. From DS9 there is Rene Auberjonois, Chase Masterson, Colm Meany, Cirroc Lofton Armin Shimerman, Aron Eisneberg, and Max Grodernchik. And from Enterprise you have Dominic Keating, Connor Tinneeer and Anthony Montgomery. From the original Star Trek attendees can see Walter Koenig, George Takei and Nichelle Nichols as well. There will also be many big time guest stars including John deLancie, Jeffrey Combs, Casey Bigs, JG Hertzler, and Robert O’Reilly.

And there are a number of interesting Star Trek vets from behind the camera appearing including writer/producers Brannon Braga, David Gerrold, and Ira Seven Behr, along with director/producer David Livingston.

There are also a number of interesting events including a screening of William SHatner’s documentary Get A Life!, Shimerman Combs and Biggs performing Shakespeare, a concert with Avery Brooks, and more.

TREKMOVIE CONTRIBUTOR PANELS

In addition to the celebrity stuff TrekMovie.com is holding a series of panels, one each day. Here are the official descriptions and times (all in the secondary ball room).

Thursday: 6:10 pm TrekMovie presents the Ultimate Star Trek Villain Showdown.
Last year the fans debated who was the best captain, this year we take on the bad guys. Klingons? Khan? The Dominion? Soran? The Borg? The Pakleds? Join TrekMovie editor Anthony Pascale and contributors John Tenuto and Alec Peters in a guided debate over the ultimate Trek bad guys.

Friday5:05 pm Exploring the Star Trek music renaissance
In the last few years much of the music of Star Trek has been remastered and re-released in new extended and complete collections. TrekMovie contributor and "Music of Star Trek" author Jeff Bond will moderate a panel featuring Film Score Monthly’s Lukas Kendall, re-release albums co-producer Neil S Bulk and LaLaLand Records executive album producers MV Gerhard and Matt Verboys as they discuss their the recent and upcoming Star Trek music releases and talk about how they are restoring Star Trek music history.

Saturday 6:40pm TrekMovie explores the JJ Abrams Star Trek films
The biggest things happening right now in the world of Star Trek are the movies from director JJ Abrams. Join TrekMovie editor Anthony Pascale as he leads a fan discussion regarding the 2009 Star Trek movie and the 2013 sequel. Joining Anthony will be Free Enterprise director Mark Altman, who will bring his unique perspective to the new Star Trek. We will talk about what is known, what is unknown and some of the rumors surrounding the next big Star Trek movie.

Sunday 5:00 pm TrekMovie Looks At The New Extended ‘JJ-verse’
JJ Abrams Star Trek movie has inspired more than just a feature film sequel. There is a series of "Starfleet Academy" novels, an ongoing series of Star Trek comic books and an exciting new video game coming next year, all taking the storyline of the 2009 film universe in new directions. TrekMovie editor Anthony Pascale and merchandise expert John Tenuto will lead a fan discussion on this new "extended universe," along with taking a look at what we know is coming next.

John Tenuto will also be holding his own series of special panels on Star Trek history and TrekMovie science and tech editor Kayla Iacovino is on a StarTrek.com panel.

Thursday 12:05 pm John Tenuto on Alternate Treks: What Could Have Been for II, IV, and VI
Using various drafts of scripts from the University of Iowa’s Nicholas Meyer Papers Collection, John Tenuto presents a look at "what could have been" for the characters and stories of Star Trek II, IV, and VI before the final versions of the scripts were realized on film. Did you know that Star Trek VI was to begin with a funny and touching vignette of Admiral Kirk visiting his retired crew? Or, that assassin Valeris was originally Saavik? Or, what about that rumored pregnancy of Saavik planned for Star Trek IV (it’s all true!)? Have you ever wished you could learn what these kinds of alternate Star Trek moments would have been like? Now is your chance! Special thanks to writer/director Nicholas Meyer for his permission to share this information with fellow fans.

Friday 6:35 pm 25 Years of the Official Star Trek Fan Club: Rare Photos from the Pages of the Communicator with John TenutoBefore the Internet, the Official Star Trek Fan Club was the lifeline of information for fans through its publications, the Official Star Trek Magazine and the Star Trek Communicator. Former publisher and fan club president Dan Madsen has given sociology professor John Tenuto permission to cull the archives of these magazines to show some rare photos from the world of Star Trek. You’ll see great images of behind the scenes from the making of the Star Trek television shows and films.

Saturday 10:20 am Pictures of the Future: Rare Photos from the Making of Star Trek II and VI. 2012 is the 30thanniversary of the premiere Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. Please join John Tenuto as he shares almost 100 rare behind the scenes images from Star Trek II and Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, including the only known pictures of William Shatner and Ricardo Montalban together on stage for cast/crew photos. Based on four years of research, the images are culled from the University of Iowa’s Nicholas Meyer Papers Collection. The photos were donated to the University by alumnus Nicholas Meyer, the writer and director of Treks II and VI, and he has generously given permission to share these photos with the Las Vegas convention fans. The presentation will share behind the scene stories of the contributions of the artists who helped make these two of the most popular Trek films.

Sunday 3:10 pm The History of Star Trek Collectibles
Join sociology professor and fellow Star Trek fan John Tenuto for a fun look at 45 years of Star Trek collectibles. Learn about the special place that Star Trek has in McDonald’s Happy Meal history. Enjoy photos and stories of some of the strangest collectibles ever made, from Marshmellon dispensers to Spock liqueur decanters. Celebrate the fun of collecting with behind the scenes stories of the making of Star Trek’s most popular toys and take a retro trip through categories of collecting such as food items, action figures, books, playsets, and video games. Both casual and serious collectors alike will enjoy the nostalgic and sociological discussion of Star Trek memorabilia from The Original Series, TNG, DS9, Enterprise, and the movies.

Friday 10 am: StarTrek.com presents Trek Girls: Who is a Trek Girl and how did she become one?Join our panel of female Trek fans as they discuss how female fandom has evolved over the years, particularly in the Star Trek universe. Fangirl expert, Ashley Eckstein will get Trek Girls and the audience talking about why they love the series, and why now is the best time to be a woman, and a fan.

Could have gotten one with GI Jo2 2, but that was pushed back to next March. I think World War Z is a Paramount pic too, but that’s been pushed back until they try and solve the complete shitstorm they made of it.

There will be no trailers released until September or the fall, at the earliest.

J.J Abrams is no fan of Trek conventions. I’m thinking he’d prefer to unveil it before a big blockbuster movie, like “Skyfall”. He wants to appeal to, and bring in the mainstream crowd, something he can’t do at a Trek convention full of costumed geeks.

#10 – Really? I hope so…hmmm? I hope that trekmovie.com will be able to post the trailer here for us out-of-towners!

Bob Orci did mention that they needed to give this sequel a title etc soonish. August/September appeared to be the right time to present something about the next Trek movie. It seems like it could be happening.

Awaiting this coming weekend with a hopeful with trepidatious anticipation!